A process of the kind mentioned above is described in the Japanese Patent Application No. 56-10999 (10999/81). The object of this known process is to provide the surface of a plated object having a layer of aluminium and a layer of stainless steel with a coloured pattern. For this purpose the surface of the layer of stainless steel to be patterned is coated with a corrosion resistant film which exhibits the pattern in the form of holes in the film. The surface coated with the film is then etched and electrolytically polished. The etching removes the outer layer of material so that the inner layer is exposed. The exposed inner layer is then coated with a coloured layer, thereby creating the desired pattern.